Fence-machine.



PATENTED OUT. 13, 1903.

F. E. SMITH. FENCE MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 7, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

. f/VVENTOR W/ T/VESSES:

UNITED STATES Patented October 13, 1903.

PATENT UFMCE,

FRANK E. SMITH, OF HAZELRIGG, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JASPER N. SHIRLEY, OF LEBANON, INDIANA.

FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,177, dated October 13, 1903.

Application filed August '7, 1902. Serial No. 118,718. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazelrigg, in the county of Boone, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention relates to machines forbuilding fences, and more particularly to the class of handnnachines and it has for its object to provide a machine or tool by means of which a fence may be built in the field by weaving stay-wires onto the strand-wires.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine or tool which may be easily adapted to wires of different sizes and which may be easily and quickly manipulated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 isa perspective view showing a fence-wire with the present machine applied thereto in position for attaching a stay-wire. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the winding-wheel and the die therein. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a second form of die-block.

Referring now to the drawings, the present machine comprises two members, one of which is a spacing device for holding the strandwire to the fence in proper spaced relation while the stays are beingput in place. This spacing device consists of two metal bars 5 and 6, which are slidably connected for longitudinal movement with respect to each other, and in the side edges of the bars are formed dovetail notches 7 and 8, respectively, which are adapted to register, so that when the bars are slid one with respect to the other the opposite end Walls of each pair of registering notches are moved toward each other and form gripping-jaws which will tightly engage a wire disposed therebetween. To shift the bars 5 and 6, one of said bars has a lever 9 pivoted thereto, and connecting said lever and the other bar is a link-pin, so that when the lever is operated in one direction the bars will be moved to release a wire and when the lever is operated in the opposite direction the pivot connecting the lever with a link is moved beyond the pivot connecting the lever with its bar and the bars are manipulated to actuate the gripping-jaws.

The number of notches in each bar is equal to the maximum number of strand-wires to be spaced thereby, and the spacing of the notches determines the spacing of the wires, it being understood, of course, that when wide spacing of the wires is desired the corresponding notches are skipped.

The second member of the machine consists of a wheel 15 of segmental shape and having a central axial opening to receive a die-block, this block being substantially cylindrical in shape and having a reduced end portion 16, which fits in the central opening of the wheel, and a resultant shoulder 17, which rests against the end face of the hub of the wheel. The die-block is held in place by a set-screw 18, which is engaged with the hub of the wheel and impinges against the block;

As shown in the drawings, the die-block has a longitudinal slot 19 formed radially thereof and extending throughout its length, and at one side of the die-block is a longitudinal perforation 20. When the die-block is engaged with the opening of the wheel, thelongitudinal slot of the block registers with the radial opening 22, which leads to the central opening of the wheel. Formed through the hub of the wheel and opening into the central opening thereof is apassage 24, in which is engaged a pin 25, which pin engages also a corresponding channel 26, formed in the adjacent portion of the die-block, so that the pin may bridge the longitudinal slot of the die-block. The pin slides loosely, .and at the outer end thereof is a head 27, which may be grasped to draw the pin outwardly from the slot of the die-block, said pin being held normally and yieldably in its position across the slot of the die-block by means of the helical spring 28, disposed upon the pin and bearing at one end upon the stop 29 on the pin and at its outer or opposite ends against the perforated ear 30, through which the pin is cular recess is also formed in the die-block adjacent to recess 24, which is also engaged by end of the pin 25 when in its normal position.

In the operation of this fence-machine a piece of pliable wire 31 is provided at suitable length to make a stay, and one end of this wire is passed through the longitudinal perforation 20 of the die-block, the 'end of the wire being engaged in a perforation 32 in one of the bars of the spacing device adjacent to the uppermost strand-wire 33, to which the stay is to be attached. The locking-pin 25 is then drawn outwardly to expose the slot of the die-block and the wheel is manipulated so that the strand-wire is passed into the slot of the die-block, after which the locking-pin is released to hold the strand-wire in place. The wheel is then rotated and the wire in the perforation of the die-block is wrapped around the strand-wire, and after the desired number of wraps has been given the locking-pin is withdrawn and the wheel is disengaged from the strand-wire and shifted to the wire therebelow, where the operation is repeated.

It will be understood that the successive wrappings of a stay-wire may progress longitudinally of the fence, if desired, although it is preferred that the wrappings be one below another, as this arrangement causes the connecting portion of the stay-wire to stand diagonally to thestrand-wires, so that crushing of the stay-wire is prevented and the strand- Wires rise to their proper positions when relieved of any downward strain.

It will be noted that with this machine there is formed what might be termed a cablelook without twisting the wire in such manner as to kink it or crack the coating, and the result is a structure or fabric in which the stay-wires cannot be slipped from place. Furthermore, an extremely heavy stay-wire is permitted, so that the entire structure has a life which is as long as the life of the strand wires. In winding the stay-wires upon the strand-wires the latter are kinked to some degree, so that sudden contractions in the wires,due to changes in atmospheric temperatures, do not break the strand-wires.

It will be understood that in practice the hub of the wheel may be provided with spokes instead of with the rim and that other modifications may be made and suitable materials and proportions may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings there is shown a second form of die-block, wherein a portion 35 is cut away. This permits of a longer warp of the stay-wire upon the strand-wirethat is, each complete convolution of the staywire will extend a greater distance along the strand-wire. 4

What is claimed is 1. A fence-machine comprising a wheel of segmental shape having a socket in the hub thereof and a passage leading to the socket, said passage having a perforation in one wall thereof and a recess in the remaining wall at a point opposite the perforation, a pin slidably engaged with the perforation and with its end normally in engagement with the recess in the wall of the slot, to close the passage, means for-holding the pin yieldably in its normal position, a die-block removably engaged with the socket, said block having a longitudinal slot adapted for registration with the passage of the hub and a longitudinal perforation spaced from the slot.

2. A fence-machine comprising a hub having a socket and a passage leading thereto, a a hand-grip connected to the hub for rotating the latter, a die-block removably engaged with the socket, said block having a longitudinal slot registering with the slot of the hub and a longitudinal perforation spaced from the slot, and a locking-pin engaged with the hub and disposed to bridge the slot of the block to hold a wire therein.

3. In a fence-machine,the combination with a stay-winding device having a slot to receive a strand-wire and a perforation to receive a stay-wire to be wound around the strandwire, of a cooperating device having gripping- -jaws to receive and hold a strand-wireof the fence and a perforation adjacent the gripping-jaws to receive and hold the end of the stay-wire against rotation on the strand-wire 

